MICHAEL PEARLMAN SAYS: Now let's get behind hero Andy (From South Wales Argus)

MICHAEL PEARLMAN SAYS: Now let's get behind hero Andy

9:10am Tuesday 10th July 2012 in Sport

LONG time readers of this column – yes, there are a few – will know that I’ve always been a big fan of Andy Murray.

Murray is a champion in every sense of the word and his continuing quest for a Grand Slam just comes down to the fact he’s not quite as good as Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic, three of the greatest of all time.

Indeed, Murray’s conqueror on Sunday, Federer, might even be the best ever.

What most infuriates me about the coverage of Murray is the insistence so many have on making clear that he’s boring, or surly, or unlikeable because he doesn’t smile enough. I must have missed the memo explaining that smiling is a priority. I don’t recall six-time major winner Nick Faldo smiling much or, for that matter, Formula One great Nigel Mansell.

Murray’s very raw interview on Sunday might have melted some hearts, but the fact is we should’ve been celebrating his excellence long before now and it shouldn’t have taken a few tears to make us warm to him.

Just because Murray doesn’t court the media (and is distrustful of them after they made a mountain out of a molehill for an off the cuff remark about the England football team) doesn’t make him a bad guy.

Murray is one of Britain’s best sportsmen and whether he’s laughing and joking or frowning and crying, that isn’t going to change.